The present invention broadly relates to recirculating bearings and, more specifically, pertains to a new and improved construction of a recirculating linear roller bearing.
Generally speaking, the recirculating linear roller bearing of the present invention has a housing which comprises a bearing raceway and a recirculation raceway and has roller members serially or sequentially arranged along the bearing raceway and the recirculation raceway which roll between the bearing raceway and a bearing rollway lying opposite to the bearing raceway in service.
In other words, the recirculating linear roller bearing of the present invention comprises a bearing raceway, a recirculation raceway, a housing including the bearing raceway and the recirculation raceway, roller members serially arranged along the bearing raceway and the recirculation raceway, and the roller members roll between the bearing raceway and an associated bearing rollway lying opposite the bearing raceway when in operation.
In recirculating linear roller bearings, the roller members alternatingly travel through paths of differing curvature. A change between straight and curved motion usually occurs. The rigid bearing cages employed for non-recirculating linear and rotary bearings can therefore not be employed for guiding the roller members so as to ensure cant-free running and a minimum of rubbing against one another and against the housing. In many recirculating linear roller bearings, separation elements have been employed between successive roller members. This does not always lead to a sufficiently permanent solution of the problem and cannot be employed at all in crossed roller recirculating bearings.